Storytelling in the selection interview: Antecedents, processes and outcomes
Storytelling has been much researched as a key phenomenon in organizational life, ranging from organizational culture to charismatic leadership. But little research exists on storytelling in personnel selection. In selection interviews, past-behavior questions invite applicants to produce narrative responses, i.e., to tell a story about a past job-related situation. Stories are useful for recruiters (to evaluate if applicants master relevant competencies) and for applicants (to distinguish themselves and get hired). But applicants often do not produce narratives on demand, resorting to less appropriate responses. I will present a series of experimental and field studies exploring the factors that facilitate storytelling in selection interviews, the social and psycholinguistic processes involved in the production of stories, and the effects of storytelling on recruiters.